As conventional navigation apparatuses, there are widely known small-sized portable navigation apparatuses with simplified structure and portability (hereinafter, referred to as Portable Navi), also known as personal navigation device; and in-vehicle navigation apparatuses accommodated and fixed in a recess portion (DIN opening) formed in a dashboard of a vehicle. The in-vehicle navigation apparatuses are capable of guiding with high accuracy by use of the information supplied from vehicles such as vehicle speed, and some of the in-vehicle navigation apparatuses are equipped with audio devices.
In recent years, the navigation apparatuses with portability of the Portable Navi and high-accuracy guide function of the in-vehicle navigation apparatus have been studied.
Reference 1 and Reference 2 disclose a configuration where a CD unit can be detached from an in-vehicle apparatus. Reference 3 and Reference 4 disclose a configuration where a navigation portion can be detached from an in-vehicle apparatus mounted in a vehicle. By removing the navigation portion from the in-vehicle apparatus, the navigation portion can be used as a Portable Navi of a single unit. Also, as disclosed in Reference 5, the navigation apparatus is taken out of the vehicle and can be used while walking. In addition, when mounted in a vehicle, the navigation apparatus is in a car-navigation mode, and when taken out of the vehicle, the navigation apparatus is in a person-navigation mode.
The navigation portion is attached to, and detached from the in-vehicle apparatus by being inserted and recessed so that the navigation portion is recessed in the recess portion provided at the front of the in-vehicle apparatus for example.
[Reference 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-318792
[Reference 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-328026
[Reference 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-524570
[Reference 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-239895
[Reference 5] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-166848